Newark, NJ – A long-time believer that government requires talented people in its employ if it is to fulfill its purpose, Samuel J. Heyman, former Assistant Attorney General under Robert Kennedy, has provided Seton Hall University School of Law with $250,000 to support students and alumni interested in federal service.

An inaugural program and reception will be held at Seton Hall Law School on Thursday, October 26, starting at 6 p.m. The program is free and open to the public.

To be recognized at the reception are Seton Hall Law School graduates: the Honorable Michael Chagares, ’87, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; and the Honorable Noel Hillman, ’85, and the Honorable Peter G. Sheridan, ’77, of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Today a successful businessman, Heyman, who also served as Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, says he considers his years in federal service as one of the most rewarding periods of his professional life. As a result of those experiences, he has undertaken efforts to inspire others to service within the federal government. The $250,000 gift he provided to Seton Hall Law School has allowed for the establishment of a five-year fellowship program. This year, Seton Hall Law School will award two $10,000 post-graduate fellowships, along with up to $30,000 in loan forgiveness, and two $4,000 summer fellowships. A similar program, also supported by Heyman, currently exists at Harvard Law School.

“We are delighted and honored that Mr. Heyman has chosen Seton Hall Law School to establish a fellowship program to support graduates working in federal public service,” said Dean Patrick E. Hobbs. “The Law School has a long history of placing talented individuals in federal government employment, and we are proud to be able to build upon that tradition.”

The Samuel J. Heyman Public Service Program specifically is designed to encourage Seton Hall Law School students with outstanding credentials to make an early commitment to federal government work and to assist them with identifying and obtaining challenging federal positions. 

The only private law school in New Jersey, Seton Hall University School of Law was founded in 1951, and is located in the city of Newark. Seton Hall Law School offers both day and evening programs leading to the Juris Doctor (J.D.), Master of Laws (LL.M.) and Master of Science in Jurisprudence (M.S.J.) degrees. For more information on Seton Hall Law School, visit law.shu.edu.